Fabian Tech Tips
Excellent tool for network administration and troubleshooting. Advanced IP Scanner is a fast, free, and robust network scanner that goes beyond simple ping checks to provide detailed network inventory and remote control capabilities.
Here is a detailed, technical guide on its usage and utilisation.
🛠️ I. Core Functionality: Network Scanning
The primary function is to quickly discover all active devices on a Local Area Network (LAN).
1. Setting the Scan Range
Advanced IP Scanner requires a target IP address range to scan. It intelligently suggests your local subnet, but you can manually define the range.
Location: The main toolbar or the "IP" button.
Default Scan: The tool typically auto-detects your local network range (e.g., 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254) based on your computer's IP address and subnet mask.
Manual Range Input: You can use several formats:
Full Range: 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.254
Shorthand Range: 192.168.1.1-254
CIDR Notation: 192.168.1.0/24 (A Class C subnet)
Multiple Entries: Separate multiple addresses or ranges with commas (e.g., 192.168.1.1-100, 10.0.0.1/24).
2. Initiating and Analysing the Scan
Click the Scan button. The tool uses multi-threading for speed, sending out ICMP (Ping) requests to determine if a host is alive, and then probing common TCP ports to gather more details.
Output: The results display in a list with the following key fields:
IP Address: The network layer address of the device.
Name: The network hostname (if resolvable via DNS or NetBIOS).
Status: Indication of whether the host is "Alive" (blue icon) or "Dead" (grey icon).
Manufacturer: Derived from the MAC address (Physical layer address). The first 6 characters (OUI) identify the network card manufacturer.
Ping (ms): The Round-Trip Time (RTT) latency to the host.
User: Shows the current logged-in user if the resource has been scanned with administrative credentials.
3. Advanced Scanning Settings
You can fine-tune the scanning process in Settings > Options:
Speed Slider: Adjusts the scan rate. A faster scan might miss devices or overload slow networks, while a slower, high-accuracy scan improves reliability.
Resources: Specify which services to check (e.g., HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, RDP, Shared Folders). Deselecting unnecessary resources can significantly reduce scan time.
Advanced: Options to use NetBIOS or Active Directory for name resolution, which is critical in a corporate environment.
🧑💻 II. Remote Management & Connectivity
A significant utilisation of Advanced IP Scanner is its integration with remote management protocols. This allows network administrators to manage devices directly from the scan results.
Action/Protocol | Technical Use | How to Utilise |
RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) | Connects to Windows computers running the RDP service for a full graphical remote session. | Right-click the host $\rightarrow$ RDP (Requires port 3389 to be open and the target PC to be configured for Remote Desktop). |
Radmin | Connects to hosts running Radmin Server (a commercial remote control tool by Famatech, the same company). | Right-click the host $\rightarrow$ Radmin (Provides full-featured remote access, typically faster and more secure than RDP for local LAN). |
Shared Folders/Explore | Attempts to connect to the Windows file shares (SMB/CIFS) on the device. | Right-click the host $\rightarrow$ Explore $\rightarrow$ Allows quick access to shared resources without manually typing the path (\\IP_Address). |
HTTP/HTTPS | Opens the device's web interface (e.g., for routers, managed switches, or printers) in a web browser. | Double-click the host in the list or right-click $\rightarrow$ HTTP/HTTPS (Useful for configuration access). |
FTP | Attempts to connect to an FTP server running on the device. | Right-click the host $\rightarrow$ FTP. |
🔌 III. Network Troubleshooting Tools
The tool includes built-in diagnostics accessible from the right-click menu:
Ping: Sends an ICMP Echo Request to test basic IP-level connectivity and measure latency. Technical utilisation: Confirms Network Layer (Layer 3) connectivity.
Tracert (Trace Route): Shows the path (hops) a packet takes to reach the remote computer. Technical utilisation: Diagnoses routing issues, bottlenecks, or firewall blockage between subnets.
Telnet/SSH: Launches a command-line interface (CLI) connection to the device on the standard Telnet (Port 23) or SSH (Port 22) port. Technical utilisation: Used to connect to and configure Linux servers, routers, and switches.
💡 IV. Other Key Features
Feature | Description & Technical Use |
Wake-On-LAN (WOL) | Sends a "Magic Packet" to the MAC address of a powered-off device. |
Remote Shutdown | Sends a command to remotely shut down or restart a Windows machine. |
Favorites | Allows you to save frequently scanned addresses/devices for instant status checks without scanning the entire network. |
Export Results | The scan results can be exported to common formats like XML, HTML, or CSV. |
Would you like a step-by-step guide on how to configure and use the Remote Shutdown feature?
🛑 Configuring and Using Remote Shutdown in Advanced IP Scanner
The Remote Shutdown feature in Advanced IP Scanner allows you to power off or restart remote Windows computers on your network. This is a powerful tool for network maintenance, but it requires specific configuration on both the scanning computer and the target machine.
Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to configure and use it:
1. 🔑 Configure Credentials (The Scanner PC)
You must provide Advanced IP Scanner with valid administrator credentials for the remote machine so it can execute the shutdown command.
Open Advanced IP Scanner.
Go to the Settings menu (usually found in the top right corner or via the gear icon).
Select Options (or simply press F10).
Navigate to the Credentials tab.
Click the Add button.
Enter the following information for an account that has local administrator rights on the target computer(s):
User Name: Enter the username. For domains, use the format DOMAIN\Username. For local accounts, use ComputerName\Username or just the Username if the account is the same as the one you are currently logged in with (which is usually not the case for remote shutdowns).
Password: Enter the password for that user.
Click OK to save the credential set. The scanner will now attempt to use these credentials when accessing remote resources like Shared Folders and Remote Shutdown.
2. 🛡️ Configure Target PC (Windows Firewall)
The target machine must allow the necessary network traffic for the shutdown command to pass through its firewall. This command relies on Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation).
You need to ensure the "Remote Administration" firewall exception is enabled on the remote computer(s):
On the target computer, open the Control Panel or use the Windows Search bar to find Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
In the left pane, click Inbound Rules.
Look for the following rules (they might be grouped):
Remote Event Log Management (RPC)
Remote Event Log Management (RPC-EPMAP)
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
If these rules are not enabled, you can sometimes enable the main group rule:
In the Inbound Rules list, find the rules for the Remote Administration group.
Right-click and select Enable Rule for the necessary profiles (Domain, Private, or Public, depending on your network type).
3. 🖥️ Execute the Remote Shutdown
Once the credentials are set and the firewall is configured, you can execute the command.
Run a Scan: Ensure you have scanned your target IP range and the target computer is listed as Alive (blue icon).
Select Target: Right-click on the IP address or hostname of the computer you want to shut down.
Initiate Command: Go to the Tools submenu and select Remote Shutdown.
A dialog box will appear allowing you to specify the action:
Shutdown: Turns the computer off.
Restart: Reboots the computer.
Message: You can type a brief warning message (e.g., "System rebooting in 60 seconds") that the remote user will see before the action is executed.
Timeout: Set the number of seconds the remote user has to save their work before the shutdown/restart begins.
Force applications to close: Check this box to force close any open applications without prompting the user, ensuring the action completes.
Confirm: Click OK to send the command.
Success Confirmation: Advanced IP Scanner will indicate success or failure in the lower status bar. If successful, the remote machine will receive the notification and begin the countdown.
⚠️ Important Considerations
Administrative Rights: The most common reason for failure is insufficient permissions. The credentials used in Step 1 must be an administrator on the target machine.
Security: If you use a different domain or workgroup, ensure the user account entered in the credentials tab is explicitly defined for the target's domain or as a local administrator.
WMI Service: The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service must be running and functioning correctly on the target computer for the command to execute.
Group Policy: In a highly managed network, Group Policy Objects (GPOs) may restrict remote shutdowns. You may need to consult with your Domain Administrator to ensure the necessary rights are granted.
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